Swansea marina Locks back to normal operation. No more booking in and out times
Mumbles
Motor Boat and Fishing Club
Recreational
angling restrictions eased by the Welsh Government as follows:
From 13
July
‘We are making
changes to the regulations to allow larger gatherings outdoors of up to 30
people where these are organised and supervised by a responsible person. This
will allow sports and leisure activities, such as fitness and dance classes, to
take place outdoors, as well as collective worship. This will include
charities, businesses, and sports clubs and a risk assessment will need to be
carried out’.
We can go boat fishing with
members from more than two households, but still under covid-19 regulations of
social distancing and virus control hygiene. We have carried a risk assessment
and drawn up guidelines for our boat fishing trips. A member’s version is attached and there is a
more detailed version issued to skippers for running boat fishing trips.
Unfortunately, due to the
social distancing rules only around 50% of a boat’s capacity can be allowed
onboard for a fishing trip. The actual number of members on-board for each type
of fishing trip will be at the discretion of the skipper, though no more than
50% at this time.
There is an element of risk at the moment and the club cannot be held responsible
in any way should a member later develop symptoms of the virus. We require
anyone who develops symptoms after a trip to advise us immediately. We will
contact all members who were on that boat fishing trip of the situation so they
can self-isolate or take other appropriate action.
Bookings to be made in
advance through the website or through the skipper.
Happy fishing and many a
tight line.
MMBFC Committee
13 July 2020
Mumbles Motor Boat and Fishing Club
Going
boat fishing again under the, travel, safety and social distancing rules
Procedures
Re Covid-19 and our boat fishing trips
These procedures are to be implemented
to reduce the risk of virus transmission on our boat fishing trips. The boats have the necessary cleaning equipment and
hand cleansers on board. You should bring your own protection equipment and
sanitisers.
Covid-19 is transmitted in tiny
droplets, spread through coughs, sneezes. singing, loud talking and shouting
out loud, so do not do any of these actions. Droplets can also be airborne and spread
if droplets end up on surfaces and people touch them and then their faces such
as lips, nose and eyes.
We will always follow Welsh Government Guidelines.
Social distancing and good hygiene requirements are
still in place.
Protecting the face and regular hand
washing, especially after removing face protection, can help prevent infection
·
If you
have Covid-19 symptoms you should not be going fishing on our boats. The
skippers decide who to allow on board and if the skipper suspects a member is
showing symptoms of Covid-19 they will not be allowed to board.
·
The
skipper will carry out a full safety briefing listing all measures put in place
to keep to Welsh Government guidelines and what member anglers have to do to
follow these guidelines.
·
While
social distancing measures are required, we will be limiting the number of
anglers on board to ensure the correct separation between nonfamily members
living at a different address. Family members living at the same address are
exempt from the social distancing rule between family members only.
·
There will
be no provision for storage of personal items or seating in the cabin while
travelling. Travel light to create more space around the boat and plan for all
weathers.
·
We will
not be providing tea or coffee, or cooking facilities. Please bring your own
food and drinks.
·
Anglers
will not be allowed in the spaces occupied by the skipper and crew.
·
Use the
rubbish bins on board at your fishing position. Do not walk around the boat. We
will dispose of the rubbish at the end of the fishing trip.
·
Should an
angler suffer a bout of seasickness they will be kept well away from other
anglers.
·
Only use the toilet in an emergency. Use a
bucket of sea water for urine and dispose safely over the side.
·
Anglers to
meet at the boat car park adhering to social distance measures. Stay in your
car until the marina gate is opened by the crewman and then line up at current
distances.
·
Entry to
the marina and boarding the boat will be done in an orderly manner observing
the social distance and fishing position on the boat. Disembarking will be a
reversal of embarkation. Where possible there will be a one-way system for
getting around the boat.
·
We
recommend you wash down and sanitise your rod and reel after use.
·
We expect
everyone aboard to help clean fishing-related mess in their allocated area.
This will give us a better platform for a deep clean once everyone has left the
boat.
·
There will
be only one fishing trip per day.
·
During the
pandemic, we are all ultimately responsible for our actions and ensuring the
safety of ourselves and all around us. Please be thoughtful and considerate to
everyone you meet in the car park, marina walkways and aboard the Oystercat, it
is as much for your safety as others.
MMBFC
Committee
Swansea Marina LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
First phase of lifting of Navigation Restrictions – Sailing Local – Staying Local - during Covid-19
From Monday 1st June 2020, recreational boat owners are permitted to access Swansea Marina Pontoons and Boatyard for recreational purposes, as part of their local daily exercise and recreation away from their homes, but not for overnight accommodation. From Monday All Key fobs will be reactivated, Diesel, Petrol, Gas & Electricity can be purchased by contacting us on VHF80 or 01792 470310
From Wednesday 3rd June 2020, Tawe lock will re open with limited capacity to ensure social distancing can be achieved. Boat owners are advised to sail local and return the same day. Locks will initially operate via a booking system. Outward bound locks will be operated on the hour and inward half past the hour. To book a lock out / in call 07584 491945
LOCKING WILL BE REFUSED TO ANY BOAT OWNER WHO HAS NOT BOOKED TO USE THE LOCK. BOAT OWNERS MUST BE ON TIME, LOCK TIMES WILL NOT BE DELAYED.
Mariners must follow Welsh Government Guidelines and only be accompanied by persons permanently residing at the same address or, where the vessel is of a sufficient size and design to maintain social distancing, with persons from a different household subject to the current regulations. The rules regarding ‘Staying Local’ apply and as such Mariners must consider the amended regulations when deciding to travel to their vessels.
Mariners are reminded of the following requirement regarding travel as announced by Welsh Government on Friday 28th May:
“To allow more outdoor activity we are also amending the requirement to ‘stay at home’ to one to ‘stay local’. This means that as long as you are within your local geographical area and are outside, you will no longer be subject to the numerous restrictions that apply today.
The same restrictions as now will apply when a person wants to travel outside their local area. We will provide guidance to help people to understand how to interpret ‘local’ in this context, using five miles as a guide but recognising this is a flexible concept which can vary depending on people’s circumstances.”
Many vessels within the Harbour will not have been used for a considerable time. In order to minimise the need for the emergency services to be mobilised, potentially placing them and you at risk, the following conditions should apply:
The latest weather forecast should be obtained and vessels are to be checked and inspected thoroughly before leaving the berth. This should include ensuring that all boat systems and engines are operating correctly and all equipment is in date and operating as it should.
Lifejackets or buoyancy aids should be worn by all on-board for your own safety.
Mariners are urged to exercise good seamanship, courtesy, patience and common sense as they begin to move around the Harbour.
The skipper and crew of all vessels are required to follow government guidance in relation to Covid-19 to protect themselves and others they may come into contact with.
Swansea Marina Reception, Toilets & Shower Blocks will remain Closed until further Welsh Government restrictions are relaxed. Please bring Hand Sanitiser with you and use after opening bridgehead access gates. Always wash hands aboard with soap and water after using hose pipes, emergency equipment and topping up electricity at the bollards.
We will continue to review the situation and any new Welsh Government guidance.
Swansea Marina is to open on Monday, 1 June 2020
The entry key fob will be reactivated on Monday and the locks will open from Wednesday.
Cpnditions will apply, such as fewer boats (4) in each lock operation. Social distancing and hygine rules will still apply. Similar conditions will have to be used on the boats, fewr anglers per fishing trip and 2m distancing fishing positions on the boats, along with good safety and hygine procedures.
However, the changes to Government guidance does not mean our coasts and fishing are safe, the dangers that have always been there remain. We ask members to continue to be aware of the inherent dangers.
First Minister Mark Drakeford Statement 29 May 2020
From Monday, 2 households in the same local area will be able to meet outdoors. In doing this, however, people must follow social distancing and strict hand hygiene practices to control the spread of the virus.
'Local' means not generally travelling more than 5 miles from home to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading from one area to another.
The changes mean people can meet another household outdoors in their local area but all the other rules to protect people from coronavirus will stay in place for the time being.
Meeting outdoors is key as the science tells us the virus survives only for minutes outside but for hours on indoor surfaces.
The changes follow the third statutory review of the regulations by Welsh Ministers. The review is based on the latest scientific evidence from SAGE and the advice of the Chief Medical Officer for Wales.
Wales has passed the first peak of infection and rates are falling but the R rate remains at 0.8. Both SAGE and the World Health Organisation has advised changes should only be made one step at a time.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said:
We recognise what people have given up to help Wales slow the spread of coronavirus. I want to thank everyone for everything they have done – by sticking to the rules, we are all helping to protect each other and help our NHS respond to the pandemic.
We know people are missing seeing their family and friends – the latest evidence, which underpins this review, means we can make some changes, to enable people to meet again, if it is done outdoors and locally, and people continue to follow the social distancing guidance.
We are learning more about this virus every day and we know the risk of transmission is lower outdoors than indoors. That’s why, if we all remain 2 metres apart, 2 households will be able to meet outdoors, including in private gardens.
However, a lower risk doesn’t mean no risk. Even in these circumstances it is vital we all maintain social distancing so we can continue to tackle the spread of this virus.
Now and in the days and months ahead we all have a personal responsibility to make sure our actions don’t contribute to the spread of coronavirus. Please help keep Wales safe by staying local.
The changes to the regulations will come into force on Monday and include:
Allowing members of 2 separate households in the same local area to meet outdoors at any one time as long as they maintain social distancing. There is a low risk of infection if the 2 metre physical distancing rule is maintained while outdoors. This does not need to be the same people from the same household every time. ‘Local’ means not travelling more than 5 miles from home
The 2 households can meet in private outdoor spaces, such as gardens, but this comes with a higher risk of infection as people may have to pass through someone’s private home to reach a garden. The Welsh Government will provide guidance about the precautions which can be taken to minimise these risks
Allowing weddings and civil partnerships to take place if the bride or groom is terminally ill.
The need to stay local and not mix with others other than in certain circumstances will be subject to exceptions similar to those that currently apply. Guidance will be provided about what staying local means in different circumstances.
Beauty and tourist spots will remain closed.
The First Minister will today signal that non-essential retail businesses, which can comply with the physical distancing duty, should start to prepare to reopen over the next 3 weeks. A decision about whether non-essential retail will reopen will be taken at the next review on 18 June and will depend on the scientific and medical evidence.
At the next review, the Welsh Government will examine options for:
Re-opening non-essential retail
Increasing capacity for childcare and public transport to support a wider return to work
Facilitating moving house to boost the housing market
Re-opening outdoors sites, including outdoor markets, sports courts, outdoor showrooms, and outdoor museums
Re-opening facilities for non-professional elite athletes to train safely.
The First Minister added:
I am signalling to businesses across Wales that they may begin preparations to be ready to resume activity in these areas should the evidence support reopening.
This will allow us to restart activity as soon as possible if the conditions allow. We will continue to work closely with the public sector, trade unions, businesses, the third sector and others to achieve this.
First published
29 May 2020
From Go Angling - My Way 2 Fishing trips
When we return to running trips, with a social distanced compliment of max 6, each angler will have their own bucket, with antibacterial wash, detergent, scrubbing brush, chopping board and rubbish bag.
Naturally anglers are also encouraged to bring their own PPE, whatever they’re comfortable with.
We will ensure everything is disinfected at the end of the day ready for the following trip.
A pressure washer with a disinfectant solution will be used after the clean down to further disinfect and ensure the deck is thoroughly cleaned for the next day.
All Regulations made by the Welsh Ministers under the 1984 Act, and Directions made under the 2020 Act, have legal force. Emergency Regulations that have been made under the 1984 Act impose obligations on individuals and businesses that must be complied with, and a failure to do so is an offence punishable by a fine. The Regulations contain the requirements and restrictions designed to contain coronavirus. These include the following:
requiring people in Wales to stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse (which includes travelling to work unless home working is not reasonably practicable, exercising and shopping for food)
requiring certain businesses and premises (including bars and restaurants, save to the extent that they may provide take away food and drink) in Wales to close.
requiring hotels, holiday parks and camping sites to close, subject to certain exceptions (mainly related to preventing homelessness)
imposing specific restrictions on places of worship, cemeteries and crematoriums in relation to funerals
requiring reasonable measures to be taken to maintain a physical distance of 2 metres while working in Wales
requiring local authorities and national park authorities in Wales to close beauty spots and certain other areas of land and footpaths
Further information from Angling Cymru
Angling is now permitted as a form of exercise [by walking or cycling] in Wales but under strict regulations:
STAY LOCAL: You can drive to go fishing but only locally, go the shortest distance, use common sense.
STAY SAFE:Maintain safe distancing, sanitise hands regularly, avoid dangerous fishing venues or where you cannot maintain safe distancing.
STAY LEGAL: Fish alone or with one other household member, no fishing in closed areas of land or property, no boat fishing, no overnight fishing.
From Wales Online
t has been confirmed that angling in Wales is allowed under
current regulations.
First Minister
Mark Drakeford confirmed in Wednesday's Plenary that angling is allowed under
the new lockdown laws but only locally.
While it is permitted, the Welsh Government continues to encourage people to
stay home.
In response to
conflicting information regarding whether fishing was currently permitted, the
First Minister said: "As far as angling is allowed, it is allowed under
our current regulations, the ones that were passed into law on Monday (April
11), but it must be done locally and people must observe social distancing.
"Here in
Wales, we are encouraging people to stay home. That is the best way in which we
can help one another to overcome this crisis. That's why we're all making the
sacrifices that we are.
"But
people are allowed now to leave their homes more than once a day for exercise,
and if your way of taking exercise is to walk from your home to a river and to
sit there, not near other people, and to go fishing, then that is allowed
within the rules in Wales.
Who
can I go fishing with?
As with any
other form of exercise, it must be done alone or with another household member.
"Our laws
are clear that you must exercise alone or with members of your household,"
says the advice on the Welsh Government website.
Angling Cymru
also advise people to sanitise hands regularly and avoid dangerous fishing
venues or those where you cannot maintain safe distancing.
No boat
fishing, overnight fishing or fishing in closed areas of land or property are
permitted.
Where can I go fishing?
The advice on
the Welsh Government website confirms that exercise should only be done locally
and this is the case for fishing.
"To reduce
the risk of spread of coronavirus exercise must also be done within an area
local to home," reads the Welsh Government's guidelines.
"Exercise
should not, therefore, involve going a significant distance from home and our
advice is that exercise should start and finish from home."
Common sense is also encouraged when it comes to the definition
of local, as "what people perceive to be 'local' in Cardiff on the one
hand, and in Mid Wales on the other, could be quite different".
Speaking about
it in the Plenary, the First Minister said: "'Local' means the common and
everyday understanding of what 'local' is. Our advice to people in Wales is stay
home: stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
"That's
been our message for the last six weeks and it's our message now. So, if you
are leaving your home for exercise or for other purposes, stay local, because
by staying local you stay safe."
It remains
unclear whether or not fishing lakes are allowed to reopen. Repeated efforts to
contact the Welsh Government on this matter were unsuccessful.
Can I drive to go fishing?
On their
website, Angling Cymru said: "You can drive to go fishing but only locally
- the shortest distance you can. If you live in Newport, you fish in Newport.
Use common sense."
That mirrors
the Welsh Government regulations which say exercise should be done locally.
Mr Drakeford
said: "It's not an invitation to jump in your car and drive somewhere else
to do things that you could do just as easily on foot and from home.
Act now to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19)
It's up to all of us to slow the spread of COVID-19. To do this, everyone must practise social distancing and avoid social gatherings. Stay up to date with information about keeping yourself and people around you safe.
Marina News
We are all having to adjust to a new way of living without our fix of fishing and boating, although we all agree that everyone's health and wellbeing at this time is much more important. The marina lock gates have been closed and marina services curtailed because of the virus. We can still get down to the boats taking all the recommended precautions to check them over and empty the biges etc.We knoe these changes are limiting our fishing etc., and we will all need to do our very best to adjust. We will continue to update you as things change. Together, we can do this and get back to our sport of fishing as soon as possible.
Unfortunately you cannot fish in Wales (or the wider UK) until further notice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
CEFAS have confirmed angling is NOT a permitted activity/exercise.
Our advice is to stay home and stay safe - the fish will still be there when this is all over!
With
the PM latest announcement it is clear that we cannot have any more
Club Nights in the foreseeable future. It is also obvious that we should
not be using either of the boats for the immediate future. We should
also prohibit the use of the club Minibus for the present. We are
experiencing cancellations on holiday bookings for the chalet and that
affects all our income streams. Our finances are such that unlike most
businesses we can weather this storm and will emerge without too much
long term damage.
This of course brings the
activities of the MMBFC to a standstill but we will come out of this and
things will return to normal, eventually. We as a Committee will
continue to run the Club and manage its financial matters albeit at a
distance to one another. Members will no doubt continue fishing but
perhaps the emphasis now will be small groups and Coastal Fishing.
Please remember to post your activities on facebook and if any have news
or ideas that they wish to get out to our larger Community please do so
through Trevor.
Phil Gavey
Chairman
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) Update
and GUIDANCE FOR MMBFC members
Like many organisations, we’re closely monitoring the risks
associated with coronavirus. The most important thing is for us to take care of
our members and not to do anything that puts us - or those around us - at risk.
This means:
Every
angler should be following NHS and Public Health England advice on hand
washing and other hygiene measures, as well as how to recognise the
symptoms of and what to do if you suspect you have the coronavirus, or
have been in contact with someone who has. For events MMBFC organises,
such as members meetings, club nights and committee meetings have been
postponed until further notice. Regarding the use of our club boats for fishing
trips we will consider each trip on a case by case basis whether these can
go ahead or not.
We have
increased the surface cleaning of our boats and provided hand sanitisers
onboard. Weighing scales and measuring rulers will be sanitised after each
use. Sanitise hands after using such equipment. A bucket or box may be used
to collect trip donations rather than handing money over to the skipper.
Where appropriate, members should carry on fishing and encourage
others to do so. Fishing gets people out into the fresh air and away from
crowded, indoor situations where infections are more likely to spread. However,
we need to be vigilant and take precautions to minimise the risk to ourselves
and others, so follow the official advice and adapt your fishing accordingly.
When shore fishing fish in small family groups. If fishing individually
ensure there is a clear space (at least 2m) between anglers, to avoid contact. Avoid
hand shaking. Do not share fishing tackle and sanitise tackle after use. Do not
allow the general public to come close and chat.
COVID-19
is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a
virus called coronavirus Stay at home if you have either: 1] a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back 2] a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing
repeatedly IMPORTANT: Therefore, please DO NOT do
not go fishing if you have either of these symptoms.
Your
Age
Currently, Coronavirus appears to have more significantly damaging health
outcomes for elder people. If you are over 70 please do not attend fishing
events or competitions.
Your
Health
If you are over 70 please do not attend fishing events or competitions.
NHS advice says that you may be at a particularly high risk of getting
seriously ill with Coronavirus “if you have had an organ transplant and
are taking immunosuppressant medicine,, are having chemotherapy or
radiotherapy, have blood or bone marrow cancer (such as leukaemia), have a
severe chest condition, such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma or have
another serious health condition.“
Please take care and we look forward to seeing again when this is all
over.
